Automobile components, such as door trim panels, claddings, wheel lips and body side moldings are typically attached to vehicle panels comprised of plastic, sheet metal or another substrate material using various clips, such as conventional “w-based” clips. An exemplary conventional connection system installation using such w-based clips includes an exterior component affixed to a panel by means of the w-based clip. The installation process generally includes drilling or punching a slot or hole in the panel and subsequent insertion and snap-fitting of wings of the w-based clip, which is installed onto the exterior component, into the slot.
One common type of w-based clip, known as an “offset wing” clip, includes a solid, rounded nose that makes initial contact with the panel and is forced through the opening in the panel. A pair of wings extend from opposite sides of the nose for holding the retainer in the slot. The wings are commonly offset along the length of the bridge, and they each include a first portion that angles outwardly and a second portion that angles inwardly. In use, the offset wing clip is inserted by forcing the nose and the wings through the slot in the panel. The first portion of the wings flexes inwardly during insertion until it passes through the slot. The wings then expand outwardly to fill the hole, with the second portion of the wings engaging the hole to hold the retainer in place.
One drawback of the conventional offset wing retainer is the inability to effectively control the flexibility of the wings. As a result, it is difficult to control the forces that are required to insert the retainer into the sheet metal slot, to remove the retainer from the slot and to hold the retainer in the slot in the final assembly. This inability to control insertion and removal forces is especially problematic in situations where the retainer must perform to specified insertion and removal standards, and makes it difficult to adapt a particular retainer design to meet a variety of specifications. Accordingly, there remains a need for a panel retainer, and particularly an offset wing w-base retainer, that provides controllable insertion and removal forces without sacrificing retention values, manufacturing cost and efficiency.